Thiruvananthapuram: The 14th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly, the last before this year’s local body polls, opened on Monday with obituary references to former chief minister V S Achuthanandan, former Speaker P P Thankachan and Peerumedu MLA Vazhoor Soman. The House adjourned for the day after the obituary references. 

Amid much uncertainty, Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil also marked his presence in the House. Suspended from the Congress Parliamentary Party, he was allotted a seat separate from the UDF bloc, following a request from Opposition leader V D Satheesan. Mamkoottathil was accompanied by the Youth Congress district president. He left his home in Adoor early in the morning, reached Thiruvananthapuram by 9.20 am, and exited the Assembly by 10.40 am.

His attendance was his own decision. While the party had not directed him to stay away, reports suggest Satheesan had conveyed his reservations about his participation. With no legal bar on his presence, Mamkoottathil chose to return to the Assembly after weeks of staying away from public life and his constituency. Sources said the decision followed consultations with some leaders. A Crime Branch investigation into the allegations against him is ongoing. In the wake of the controversy, Mamkoottathil had also resigned as Youth Congress president.

Tributes
The Kerala Assembly paid tributes to Achuthanandan, PP Thankachan and Vazhoor Soman. Achuthanandan died on July 21 at the age of 101, Thankachan on September 11 due to age-related ailments, and Soman on August 21 following a cardiac arrest.

Speaker A N Shamseer, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan led the House in honouring the departed leaders.

Shamseer, in his obituary reference, hailed Achuthanandan as a leader respected across political lines for his fight against corruption, sincerity in taking up people’s issues and his pro-women stance. Vijayan said the death of VS marked the end of a chapter in Kerala’s socio-political progress. “The ideology he upheld and the interventions he made towards its realisation will stand the test of time and inspire generations. More than just a public worker, Comrade VS was a link connecting many important chapters in Kerala history to the present,” the CM said.

Satheesan noted that Achuthanandan, once considered a non-leader of the middle class, went on to emerge as one of its heroes. “He took strong positions on issues such as the HMT land case and the lottery mafia, often siding with the Opposition. His views on the environment and minorities further distinguished him, both as Chief Minister and later as Opposition Leader,” he said.

Both the Chief Minister and Opposition Leader also remembered Vazhoor Soman for his contributions to the trade union movement.

Paying tribute to Thankachan, Vijayan recalled him as a politician who upheld gentleness as his ideal in life, adding that his passing closed a chapter that had accompanied Kerala’s political developments for decades.

Opposition’s arsenal
Although the current session will formally end on October 10, the House will sit for only 12 days. The opening day was reserved entirely for obituary references. With local body elections around the corner, the session is expected to be stormy, with both sides preparing for frequent disruptions.

Shamseer had earlier noted that the sitting was convened primarily for law-making, though most bills are expected to be passed without discussion given the charged political atmosphere.

The session is set to witness sharp exchanges as the UDF attempts to dictate the political narrative in the run-up to the polls. Issues like the Congress infighting highlighted by Mamkootathil’s suspension, recent suicide attempts linked to factionalism, and alleged police excesses are likely to dominate.

The opposition is also expected to invoke adjournment motions to force daily debates on pressing matters. Custodial torture cases, including the recent handcuffing of KSU activists with black cloths over their faces, will be used to corner the government.

Public health is another flashpoint, with over 20 lakh fever cases reported this year and 17 deaths from amoebic meningoencephalitis. The UDF will also target the government over the chaos surrounding the rollout of four-year undergraduate programmes, while bringing the Governor into the spotlight.

Bills in focus
Four bills are certain to be taken up:

• Kerala State Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act, 2024
• Kerala Guruvayur Devaswom (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Kerala Coir Workers’ Welfare Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Kerala Cooperatives Registration Bill, 2025

In addition, 13 other bills are pending, with the Business Advisory Committee to decide on their inclusion. Politically sensitive bills cleared by the cabinet last week — the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which empowers the chief wildlife warden to authorise the killing of dangerous animals, and the Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2025, allowing sandalwood farmers to sell their produce — may also be taken up.